Ports Direct

Ports Direct are proud to be able to offer Fred Olsen passengers a range of bespoke door to door, and coach hub to cruise port transfer options to major cruise ports within the UK that can be booked online at www.portsdirect.co.uk. Transfers are coordinated and backed by the parent Coach Direct organization who is fully geared to operate the Ports Direct transport solution on a nationwide scale.

By use of the “Quick Quote” facility you are able to receive an instant “up-front” costing prior to booking your selected transfer options and placing your booking online. The Quick Quote facility shows pricing on a per head and group basis (real-time) and is calculated directly from your UK home postal code.

For the door-door option Ports Direct offer a range of vehicles such as: approved taxi, MPV, and VIP (usually Mercedes/BMW specifi cation vehicle) Cruise passengers are taken from home to their nearest coach hub point (normally within 30 miles from home postal) where the final transfer from hub to cruise port is carried out by executive coach. In addition to the most local coach hub, Ports Direct will also show hubs slightly further away to offer additional client choice, and/or allow groups to “connect” to a pre-agreed central coach hub in order to board the same vehicle. 

Coaches used for the hub to cruise port transfers are executive standard and fitted with on-board Video/DVD and WC (whenever possible) for passenger comfort. Vehicle size dependent upon the number of passengers to be transported to the cruise ship.

Secure encrypted payment for Ports Direct transfers can be made by credit card by using the Book On-Line link at the Ports Direct site www.portsdirect. co.uk or by telephone on 08705 502069 whereby payment can be arranged by telephone or follow up payment by post. Passengers booking via the Internet will be sent full confi rmation by email and setup with a unique login account to Ports Direct in order to view their account, and make future bookings.

Passengers booking by phone will be forwarded booking documentation by post.
* 21 days prior to cruise departure Ports Direct will advise clients their exact
pickup time (for door-door) or time to be at the coach hub (for hub to cruise port).
* To guarantee the service bookings should be made at least 30 days prior to departure date.

BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE AND SUPPORT:
Passengers using the Ports Direct service are requested to use a sensible amount of cruise luggage. This should comprise of maximum 1 large case and 1 piece of hand luggage (per person) If part of your cruise package involves a fl ight Ports Direct advise this to be borne in mind in order to comply with the airline carriers baggage allowance.
Drivers and chauffeurs operating the Ports Direct home pickup services will assist directly with baggage loading. Drivers operating the coach hub transfer service will load/unload cruise luggage onto the main coach luggage hold(s).

COACH ROUTE AND ADDITIONAL PICKUPS:
Ports Direct coach routes are planned to be as direct as possible through to the destination cruise terminal, and will have a (maximum) number of 5 additional pickup stops en-route to the port (and return back to the original coach hub on cruise inbound transfers).

 

Battersby Coaches.

For those of our passengers joining from the North West region, Battersby Silver Grey Coaches will be operating a direct service on the day of each Balmoral, Boudicca, Black Watch and Braemar departure to Dover, Southampton or Portsmouth. A return service will also be available on the day of arrival into the port at the end of each cruise.
 
Please note that charges are irrespective of whether the seat is occupied by an adult, child or infant. Although exact timings are subject to final confirmation, the coaches are scheduled to depart in sufficient time to enable a comfortable journey and check-in.
 
All bookings should be made directly with Battersby Silver Grey Coaches on 01524 389800.
 
Battersby Silver Grey Coaches and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines are delighted to announce that pick-up/drop-off points for these services are available from the below-listed locations for 2009 cruises:
Morecambe (Middlegate, White Lund Estate) - £55
Lancaster (Chapel Street - next to the Bus Station) - £54
Forton Services (M6) - £53
Preston Tickle Trout (Jsut off the M6) - £52
Bolton West Services (M61) - £52
Manchester Chorlton Street (Side Entrance, Britannia Hotel) - £52
Knutsford Services (M6) - £40
Sandbach Services (M6) - £39
Keele Services (M6) - £38
Hilton Park Services (M6) - £37
Birmingham Rail Station - £37

2010 cruises:

Morecambe (Middlegate, White Lund Estate) - £60
Lancaster (Caton Road - outside the Holiday Inn) - £60
Preston Tickle Trout (Just off the M6) - £60
Bolton West Services (M61) - £56
Manchester Chorlton Street (Side Entrance, Britannia Hotel) - £56
Knutsford Services (M6) - £50
Sandbach Services (M6) - £50
Keele Services (M6) - £46
Hilton Park Services (M6) - £46
Birmingham Rail Station - £46

2011 cruises:

Morecambe (Middlegate, White Lund Estate) - £64
Lancaster (Caton Road - outside the Holiday Inn)  - £64
Preston Tickle Trout (Just off the M6) - £64
Bolton West Services (M61) - £60
Manchester Chorlton Street (Side Entrance, Britannia Hotel) - £60
Knutsford Services (M6) - £54
Sandbach Services (M6) - £54
Keele Services (M6) - £48
Hilton Park Services (M6) - £48
Birmingham Rail Station - £48

NB. This service will be subject to minimum numbers and Fred. Olsen reserves the right to withdraw the service at 28 days prior to the outbound departure date if it is deemed necessary.

 

National Express

National Express and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, working together in partnership, are able to offer an exclusive deal from any of over 1,000 pick up points on the National Express network.

For customers cruising from Dover and Southampton, or joining one of our fly-cruises from Gatwick, Heathrow or Manchester, return fares are just £35 (2010) per person from England and Wales and £45 (2010) from Scotland. In fact, travel by National Express to any of our other departure points and the same price applies*.
* For cruises from Liverpool and Newcastle, and for customers travelling from England and Wales to Greenock or Leith, National Express scheduled services operate to coach stations in Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

It’s easy to book your National Express coach tickets for your chosen Fred. Olsen Cruise. Simply call National Express on 08717 818181 (open from 08.00 hours – 20.00 hours, 7 days a week) to check that your journey times and connections are convenient for you; please ask them to quote the service number(s) relevant for your journey. Then call our Administration Dept. on 01473 292444 to make your coach booking (open from 09.00 hours – 17.30 hours Monday to Friday and 09.00 hours – 17.00 hours on Saturday).
 Please note the following:
• National Express regrets there are no reductions for children on the special fares quoted herein. We will not be obliged to carry any child under 14 years of age unless that child is accompanied by a responsible person aged 16 years or over. One child under 3 years of age and not occupying a seat may travel free if accompanied by a full fare paying passenger over the age of 16.
• No refunds will be made once National Express has been booked with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

Baggage Allowance:
For health and safety reasons, each passenger is allowed a maximum of 2 medium sized suitcases, each weighing no more than 20kgs and one piece of hand baggage. If you do carry more than this allowance it cannot be guaranteed that National Express will be able to accommodate the excess baggage.
Wheelchairs: Manual, foldable, lightweight wheelchairs are accepted for travel, subject to them being capable of being stowed in the baggage hold of the coach. National Express are unable to accept manual wheelchairs that are more than 20kgs in weight. Passengers travelling with a wheelchair must be able to board and alight the coach independently, or with the help of a travelling companion.

National Express is supporting the Government’s “Concessionary Fares Scheme” for coach travel. The scheme entitles disabled passengers and all those over 60 years of age at time of travel to benefit from savings of up to 50% off standard National Express
network fares. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines are not able to answer any questions, or make reservations, relating to this scheme.

For details and bookings under this scheme please call National Express on 08717 818181.

OTHER COACH TRANSFERS: Airport Transfers

LON to/from Port: 2009 - £28  2010 - £30   2011 - £32
MAN to/from Port: 2009 - £52  2010 - £57  2011 - £60
BHX to/from Port: 2010 - £45  2011 - £48

Please enquire with our Administration Department for schedules and timings, as there may not be flexible services operating in both directions at all times. We regret that we cannot offer discounts for children or infants.